Haipai Viewing Stone Art Exhibition

Location：Shanghai Library
Dates：2017-10-18 through 2017-10-22
Exhibition Room: The First Library Held
Other：Opening ceremony at 10:00 am on Oct 18th, 2017

Overview：
After the opening up, massive immigrants came to Shanghai and brought their cultures to the city, which integrated western cultures into regional Shanghai style. Haipai (literally “Shanghai style”) refers to the avant-garde but unqiue "East Meets West" culture from Shanghai in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Shanghai is a typical commercial city in China. Due to its special geographic location, Shanghai became the forerunner to embrace novel styles, including new changes in values, behaviors, academy, fashion, and customs. Haipai Culture is “rebellious” against traditional conventions and is “bold” in innovation.

One of the famous Chinese writers Lu Xun once remarked that “Jingpai is bureaucracy and Haipai is commercialism”, which fully illustrated the commercial character of Haipai Culture. Haipai Culture targeted more at the need of the market and the common people, which brought great impact on the elite culture.

In modern china, Haipai Culture doesn’t cease or lose its attraction. On the contrary, it continues to influence modern Chinese culture. In contemporary terms, Haipai Culture is seen as the symbol of diversity and inclusiveness, a special style which boasts for both orientalism and western culture.

Event Descriptions:
- "Stone Stories - Haipai Viewing Stone Art Exhibition" is a nature art and traditional culture of gathering providing the opportunity for collectors to sharing relevant resources. The viewing stone art has been listed by the State Council as a representative list of national intangible cultural heritage. This event gathered many of viewing stone collectors and precious collections.
- This exhibition is the Shanghai Viewing Stone Association to carry forward the Haipai (Shanghai Style) viewing stone to make a stage that is divided into three chapters and more than 300 pieces fine collections. The new book"Shanghai Viewing Stone Grand View" will be the sales in the opening ceremony.
- The exhibition will showcase the works master Mr. Zhou Changxing's works and wood carving master Mr. Chen Shihong's works.
Zhou Changxing was born in 1931 in Zhejiang. He is Chinese arts and crafts master, micro-master. His artworks "A Dream of Red Mansions" series and micro-carving "Huaxia Bao" was the national treasure of China in National Museum of China.
Chen Shihong is director of Shanghai Red Culture and Art Museum, Chinese mahogany art master and global SME alliance watch stone industry chief artist. His artwork and wood carving skills are very famous that called "shi-shi red" art style in viewing stion of Shanghai.

Note:
Viewing Stone, Chinese scholars' rocks, also known as scholar stones or viewing stones, are naturally occurring or shaped rocks which are traditionally appreciated by Chinese scholars. Scholars rocks can be any color, and contrasting colors are not uncommon. The size of the stone can also be quite varied: scholars rocks can weigh either hundreds of pounds or less than one pound. Chinese scholar's rocks influenced the development of Korean suseok and Japanese suiseki.

Haipai, the term was coined by a group of Beijing writers in 1920 to criticize some Shanghai scholars and the styles of embracing or admiring western capitalism and western culture.The name Haipai originally came from painting and drama. According to History of Chinese Painting, which was published in 1937, “During Emperor Tongzhi’s and Guangxu’s reign in the Qing Dynasty, most Chinese painters lived in Shanghai and made a living by selling paintings. In order to make profits, painters catered to vulgar public taste. Their paintings gradually demonstrated Haipai style.” In addition, performers of Peking opera regarded Beijing as the authority of China and they referred to cities outside Beijing as Haipai. At that time Haipai was used by scholars with contempt, as it represented unorthodox and vulgar culture. However, the meaning of Haipai has gradually changed during the following years and Haipai Culture has become one of the most charming cultural styles in China. Haipai is “rebellious” while Jingpai (literally “Beijing style”) is “traditional”. They represent two opposing kinds of Chinese cultures and still have profound influence.